Transit Archives - Transform

Honoring Sheroes of Bay Area Housing and Transit

March 12, 2025/in Blog, Housing, Transit/by Nicolay Kreidler

Women have always played crucial roles in moving the United States forward, but their names have often been obscured by history, their key contributions not lifted up. There are too many women — just in the Bay Area — who stood up for equitable housing and transit to name them all here. We include four sheroes below. See Transform’s social feeds for even more.

Minnie Straub Baxter

Herminia “Minnie” Straub Baxter (1895–1991) was a 64-year-old grandmother who sparked the San Francisco Freeway Revolt. In 1958, when plans emerged to run a freeway through her Glen Park neighborhood — threatening homes and the beloved Glen Canyon Park — Baxter printed cards reading “Come learn how Glen Park will be destroyed” and rallied 500 neighbors to a meeting. Minnie’s leadership, along with two other women dubbed the “Gum Tree Girls,” galvanized public opposition citywide. Their grassroots activism ultimately halted the proposed freeways, protecting many San Francisco communities. Her fight preserved green space and homes in working-class areas, showing that even a “housewife” from a marginalized outer neighborhood could influence urban policy. Her courage empowered other citizen activists, many of them women, to speak up for environmental justice and community rights in the city planning process.

Ruth Williams

Ruth Williams (1935–1995) was a multi-talented activist: a producer, playwright, educator, and a leader in the civil rights era. As part of the “Big Five of Bayview,” she co-founded one of the city’s first subsidized housing cooperatives, helping create over 2,000 affordable housing units with on-site childcare. Williams also chaired the San Francisco Human Rights Commission’s Employment Committee, fighting job discrimination. She saved the historic Bayview Opera House from demolition after riots in 1966, later establishing the Bayview Repertory Theater to uplift Black art and youth. Impact: Ruth’s holistic activism — housing, jobs, health (she led heart disease awareness after losing her husband) — transformed Bayview-Hunters Point. She empowered Black residents to build economic self-sufficiency and preserved community identity through arts and education. The Bayview Opera House now bears her name, a testament to her enduring impact on a marginalized community’s resilience and pride.

Judith Huemann

Judy Heumann (1947–2023) was a pioneering disability rights activist whose Bay Area advocacy revolutionized public transit accessibility. After a bout with polio as an infant, Huemann used a wheelchair for mobility. She and her parents had to fight for access to education and other opportunities, which were largely closed to people in wheelchairs at the time. As an adult, she became a fierce advocate for disability rights, moving to the Bay Area in 1975 to become deputy director of the Center for Independent Living. In April 1977, Heumann was one of the leaders of the historic Section 504 sit-in at San Francisco’s Federal Building — a 28-day occupation by people with disabilities that resulted in concessions from the state and better educational access for children with disabilities. You can learn more about Huemann’s groundbreaking activism in the movie Crip Camp.

Jean Quan

Jean Quan (born 1949) made history as Oakland’s first woman and first Asian-American mayor (2011–2015). But her advocacy for equitable housing and transit began long before. In the 1970s, Quan was a young activist at UC Berkeley pushing for ethnic studies and community control of development. As a city councilmember, she helped secure funding for the Fruitvale Transit Village, a nationally acclaimed mixed-use affordable housing project at a BART station that improved transit and housing access in a predominantly Latino community. As mayor, Quan launched her version of the 10K Housing Plan championed by her predecessors: a plan to bring 10,000 new residents with 7,500 new units (many affordable) in Oakland. Though ultimately derailed by the financial crisis of 2008, the plan resulted in 6,000 new units. Quan also championed the free “B” Broadway Shuttle connecting downtown to Jack London Square. She also opened Oakland’s City Hall to non-English speaking communities, empowering historically marginalized Asian and immigrant residents to engage in civic planning and demand better transit and housing services.

There are many, many more women who championed affordable housing and transit, including many alive today and still doing fantastic work. We honor all of them in March — and every month.

Transform, Partners Demand $2 Billion for the Bus

March 10, 2025/in Blog, Policy, Transit/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

A coalition of transit advocates, providers, and unions is urging California’s Senate and Assembly leaders to put $2 billion for transit operations and capital improvements into the state’s budget. The coalition is requesting the funds over a two-year period, starting with the 2025-26 budget, to prevent fiscal collapse in the state’s vital transit agencies.

Tell your state representatives to put $2 billion for the bus (and train) into the budget.

Transit danger zone

Many transit agencies are facing shortfalls due to factors they could not control, such as inflation, the rising cost of living, and declines in fare and parking revenues, rather than fiscal mismanagement. Providers that rely heavily on fares have suffered some of the biggest shortfalls, and they include BART and Caltrain, the Bay Area’s two biggest transit agencies. They, along with Muni and AC Transit, could face cutbacks as soon as 2026, if more funding isn’t found.

While many transit agencies are working toward new revenue sources, nothing is certain. The Bay Area is working toward a ballot measure to fund transit, but it will need a two-thirds majority to pass. And, even if ballot measures pass, funding might not arrive in time to save this essential public amenity from a death spiral.

Public transit is a climate and housing solution

All Californians benefit from public transit, whether or not they ride the bus. Transit provides affordable transportation for low-income families, allowing people to reach jobs that we all rely on. It also moves people to schools and essential services, powering upward mobility.

When transit becomes too infrequent to rely on or buses and trains break down because of deferred maintenance, people are forced to drive more. That leads to congestion and pollution, taking a toll on Californians’ health and time.

In the larger picture, our state will not meet its climate goals for reduced emissions without reducing driving. Allowing transit collapse would increase driving, pushing us farther and faster toward climate catastrophe.

California has enacted numerous housing policies to streamline and encourage building near transit hubs, recognizing the climate benefits of co-locating transit and infill housing. However, if transit service is less reliable, it erodes the benefits of these policies, compounding our state’s housing crisis.

The eyes of the world will be on California

The 2028 Olympics and Paralympics, and the 2026 World Cup will be held in and around Los Angeles. The city promised a car-free games, but it needs to invest in transit infrastructure and operations to make that happen.

These international events will bring an influx of travelers throughout California. Will they see a state that’s putting its money where its values are, supporting a climate-friendly and equitable renaissance in public transit? Or will they see a state in decline, at the mercy of fossil fuel interests and short-sighted budget priorities? This year’s budget could make the difference.

Read the letter.

March 5, 2025 – $2 Billion Budget Request Transit Funding Download

Muni Survey Exposes Dire Need to Address Transit Safety

February 13, 2025/in Blog, Policy, Transit/by Zack Deutsch-Gross

San Francisco’s Municipal Transit Agency recently released preliminary findings from its transit safety survey. A bill Transform helped pass in 2023, SB 434 (Min), requires all California transit agencies to conduct these surveys. San Francisco’s initial results show that less than half of respondents feel safe on Muni most of the time. It also highlights the disproportionate impacts of harassment and assault among transit riders. Women, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and riders with disabilities felt less safe than the average rider, and non-gender-conforming people in particular experienced significantly more threats and harassment.

If you haven’t taken the survey yet, Muni is collecting rider feedback through February 28. The survey is available in Cantonese and Spanish as well as English.

Initial Muni survey results highlight areas for improvement

Muni riders reported experiencing or witnessing harassment most often on trains or buses, less often at bus stops, and even less often on train platforms. The most common time and place to witness something that made a rider feel unsafe was during the day on a vehicle. Still, some riders reported that they didn’t ride alone at night or avoided Muni altogether after dark.

The most common behavior was verbal harassment or hostile gestures; 62% of riders experienced this, and 74% had witnessed it directed at someone else. Half of the survey respondents had seen a physical assault while on transit, and 36% had experienced it themselves.

People with disabilities, women, Latino riders, and Spanish speakers were more likely to report seeing or experiencing harassment. API and Chinese speakers were most likely to report harassment based on race or language.

2024.12.30 SEI Safety Survey Initial Report Download

Improving safety on public transit

Improving safety is crucial to ensuring everyone has access to schools, jobs, and opportunities, and also to the Bay Area’s economy. Local businesses suffer when riders stay home because they don’t have safe transportation options. For many riders, transit is the only travel option that meets their needs, and when that is taken away due to safety concerns, it dramatically hurts people’s quality of life.

Transform’s 2023 report, Ride Fearlessly, outlined a series of steps transit agencies can take to make riders feel safer without increased policing. Possible actions include increased frequency so riders aren’t left for long waiting for the next bus or train, public awareness campaigns, and making mental health interventions and support available, to name a few.

The reality is that we need significantly more funding to implement these safety programs along with increasing the transit frequency and reliability that will bring additional riders back to transit. Transform has joined a coalition that’s asking San Francisco’s elected leaders to close Muni’s funding gap to ensure this system, which is vital to the well-being of the city, remains safe and reliable.

Essential Contributions of Black Americans to Bay Area Housing and Transit

February 10, 2025/in Blog, Housing, Transit, Transportation/by Nicolay Kreidler

Header image is a Bryon Rumford mural at Sacramento and Ashby in Berkeley, created by Zach Franklin, Seth Martinez, Sofia Zander, and community members.

Black History Month is a good time to lift up the roles that African Americans have played in building our public transit systems and advocating for fair housing regulations. Here are just a few of the Black trailblazers who broke barriers and worked tirelessly for a more just, equitable, and liveable Bay Area.

Mary Ellen Pleasant (1814-1904) was one of the most powerful Black women in Gold Rush-era San Francisco, and she used her wealth to fight discrimination in San Francisco’s transportation system. Accounts differ on where she was born and whether or not she was enslaved; however, by the 1820s, she was in New England, working at a busy shop and helping fellow Black Americans to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Thomas Fleming (1907-2006) worked as an editor, reporter, and columnist for the Black press in San Francisco for 61 years, starting in 1941. As a journalist and editor at the Sun-Reporter, Fleming documented transportation inequities and consistently advocated for improved public transportation access in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

Cecil Poole (1914-1997) was the first African-American U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California and the first appointed to the federal bench in the same district. Judge Poole ruled on significant housing discrimination cases in a career marked by being the first African American at virtually every level of state and federal legal office in Northern California.

Byron Rumford (1908-1986) was the first Black person elected to state office when he won a seat representing Berkeley in the California Assembly in 1948. During his long tenure in public service, he advocated for improved public transportation access in Berkeley and Oakland. He passed the Rumford Fair Housing Act of 1963, outlawing housing discrimination in California, despite fierce opposition.

Maudelle Shirek (1911-2013)was an eight-term city council member in Berkeley and also served as vice mayor. Shirek advocated for rent control, senior housing, and robust public services — including accessible public transit — particularly for low-income elders. When she left office at age 92 in 2004, she was the oldest publicly elected official in California. A San Francisco Chronicle article referred to Shirek as “the godmother of East Bay progressive politics.”

Lois Cooper (1931-2014) was the first female engineer to work for the engineering division of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), known during her time as the California Division of Highways. She became a trailblazer for many women and African Americans in this critical transportation field.

Maya Angelou (1928-2014) worked in a variety of jobs before she became a celebrated poet and author, including a career as a singer, dancer, and songwriter. But, before any of these accomplishments, her first love was working as a streetcar operator in San Francisco, a job she started at age 16. Angelou was the first African-American streetcar operator in San Francisco in 1943, operating the 7-Haight line. She received a lifetime achievement award from the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials in 2014.

Transform Joins Fight to Save SF Muni

February 6, 2025/in Blog, Policy, Transit/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which runs the city’s essential Muni transit service, faces a budget deficit of up to $322 million by 2026, threatening the integrity of the system. As part of our commitment to preserving and improving public transit, Transform joined the Muni Now, Muni Forever campaign as part of the Transit Justice Coalition — a group of transit riders, disability advocates, climate advocates, members of labor unions, and community groups — to meet with members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on January 16. We were part of a lobby day to speak with the city’s elected leaders about the need to find money to fully fund Muni.

Funding shortfalls caused by external factors, not ridership loss

The funding shortfall is a result of several factors, including a decline in the amount of parking revenue Muni receives from the city’s general fund, inflation, and a reduction in federal aid. Only a small portion of SFMTA’s deficit is due to pandemic ridership loss, as Muni only gets a small portion of its revenue from fares. Additionally, Muni ridership has continued to recover, reaching 78% of pre-pandemic levels. Weekend ridership has reached 92% of pre-pandemic levels, and some lines have even surpassed their pre-pandemic ridership.

Muni and other public transit providers serving the city are critical not only to San Francisco but all of the Bay Area. In September, there were an average of 521,000 weekday trips on Muni every day. In fact, Muni carries the most riders of all the Bay Area transit agencies, and many regular riders are not San Francisco residents.

SFMTA’s $322 million budget deficit is already leading to service cuts and reductions. On February 1, Muni reduced service on the 1X California Express, 38 Geary, 24 Divisadero, and 43 Masonic buses and on the K Ingleside and M Ocean View light-rail Metro service.

These cuts could be followed by a further 3% service cut this summer, and if additional funding still isn’t found, service cuts could balloon up to 30%. The SFMTA Board of Directors is pushing back on proposed Muni service cuts, asking the agency to dip into its reserves and look elsewhere for cost savings to balance its budget. The Transit Justice Coalition will continue to mobilize to gain more funding and prevent these service cuts.

Bearing witness to the crucial role of transit in San Francisco

In meetings with members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, advocates impressed upon them that public transit should be a top priority in San Francisco. We asked that they explore funding options that would equitably balance the budget deficit without resorting to service cuts.

Constituents spoke with their district supervisors to share how important transit was in their everyday lives. San Franciscans rely on Muni to get to doctor appointments, enjoy and patronize businesses in San Francisco, and much more. Advocates related how cuts to transit would devastate their quality of life and the economic prosperity of San Francisco.

Many of the supervisors were supportive of our cause but seemed to be missing the sense of urgency around the issue and the importance of their role in shoring up SFMTA’s finances. The agency can only do so much to plug its deficit. As stewards of the city budget, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors has a lot of power in putting forth a balanced budget that prioritizes transit. Transform is standing with advocates demanding the city do more to solve this critical issue now.

MTC Indecision on Regional Transit Funding Measure Leaves Riders in the Lurch

December 9, 2024/in Blog, Press Releases, Transit/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

For immediate release

Contact: Abibat Rahman-Davies, [email protected], 510-740-9303

SAN FRANCISCO – After months of deliberation, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) failed to identify a clear path forward for a much-needed regional transportation measure.

“We can’t let the unthinkable happen and let transit services collapse. It will be a domino effect, stripping the Bay Area of the public transit that’s the lifeblood of our region,” said Transform Transportation Policy Director Zack Deutsch-Gross. “Everyone suffers when transit service goes away. But low-income and BIPOC people, who often have the fewest transportation choices, will bear the brunt of diminished or absent public transit, with reduced access to jobs, education, and necessary services.”

The Bay Area’s transit agencies face a fiscal crisis, with massive service cuts expected if the region doesn’t secure an additional revenue source by 2027. BART could be forced to reduce train frequencies to once an hour during off-peak times, while Muni would suspend up to 20 routes, and AC Transit would have to cut their entire service by up to 30%.

Time is running out to develop a unifying vision for a regional transportation revenue measure that can be approved by the legislature in 2025 and go on the ballot in 2026. With today’s vote to advance two different funding concepts — both lacking full-throated support from the Commission and select committee — Bay Area residents are entering the 2025 legislative cycle without a clear path forward to keep their buses and trains running.

One of the scenarios (1a) would not even fully address the fiscal cliff for Muni or AC Transit, despite the fact that these two agencies carry approximately 75% of the transit ridership in the Bay Area.

Both scenarios are funded through a regressive sales tax. A sales tax measure would further burden low-income residents, especially in Alameda County, which already has the highest sales tax in the Bay Area.

“Affordability is a top concern for voters, but a half-cent sales tax would burden those with the least ability to pay without fully addressing the fiscal cliff,” said Transform Transportation Policy Advocate Abibat Rahman-Davies. “It’s incredibly disheartening to see civic leaders like the Bay Area Council threaten to kill any measure that is not a sales tax.”

The Bay Area cannot give up on regional transit. If any of our transit systems is forced into drastic service cuts or ceases operation, we will lose a vital link in a transit chain, stranding residents from throughout the region. As a member of Voices for Public Transportation, Transform will continue to work with MTC, Bay Area transit operators, and the state legislature to advance authorizing legislation to support a robust, vibrant, connected transit future for our whole region.

Transform 2024 Ballot Proposition Guide

October 17, 2024/in Blog, Housing, Policy, Transit, Transportation/by Transform Staff

Climate crisis mitigation, affordable housing, public transportation, and racial equity are all on the November 2024 ballot. Below, we offer Transform’s positions on relevant propositions and measures that move our mission forward and help move the needle on these crucial, urgent issues. This guide includes statewide measures and local ballot initiatives in each region of the Bay Area.

As a 501(c)3, Transform can take positions on ballot measures but cannot endorse candidates. We worked with the Transbay Coalition and other allies to gather candidate questionnaires on sustainable transportation. You can find links to the questionnaires here.

How to vote

You can confirm your voter registration and track your ballot in the mail. You can also sign up for text alerts to find out when your county election office processes your ballot. As a reminder, you have until Tuesday, November 5, to turn it back in or vote in person.

Important dates to keep in mind:

October 21 is the last day to register to vote.
November 5 is Election Day, and polls are open 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Find your polling place.

Short list of Transform positions on ballot propositions

Statewide

Yes on Prop 4

Yes on Prop 5

Yes on Prop 33

No on Prop 34

Local

SAN FRANCISCO Yes on Prop B Yes on Prop G Yes on Prop K Yes on Prop L	SOUTH BAY Yes on East Palo Alto Measure JJ Yes on San Mateo City Measure T
EAST BAY Yes on Albany Measure C Yes on Berkeley Measure BB No on Berkeley Measure CC No on Berkeley Measure EE Yes on Berkeley Measure FF Yes on Berkeley Measure W	NORTH BAY No on Fairfax Measure I Yes on Fairfax Measure J Yes on Larkspur Measure K Yes on Petaluma Measure Y Yes on San Anselmo Measure N Yes on San Anselmo Measure O

Detailed breakdown of Transform’s ballot measure positions

STATEWIDE

Yes on Prop 4: $10 billion for climate crisis mitigation
- Transform officially endorsed the Yes on Prop 4 Campaign early on. Prop 4 will make urgent investments in proven solutions for mitigating the deadly and destructive impact of the climate crisis. Without clean air and drinking water, people can not walk, bike, and roll safely. Vote yes on Prop 4. Supported by the California Green New Deal Coalition.
Yes on Prop 5: Lower the approval threshold needed for funding affordable housing and public infrastructure
- Transform officially endorsed the Yes on Prop 5 Campaign early on as well. Prop 5 will lower the voter approval threshold from 66% to 55% on housing and public infrastructure bonds. We urgently need to lower the systemic barriers to building new affordable housing and safer street infrastructure and this bond achieves that goal. Supported by Urban Habitat, Bike East Bay, East Bay Housing Organizations, and the California Green New Deal Coalition, among others. Vote yes on Prop 5, and please tell your friends to vote yes as well — this measure is crucial to allowing California communities to build a brighter future.
Yes on Prop 33: Remove limits on cities’ ability to adjust rent control regulations
- Voting Yes on Prop 33 repeals the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995. The Act currently prohibits municipalities’ ability to adjust rent control policies such as imposing rent control on new developments built after 1995. Prop 33 will also prohibit the state from passing future restrictions. The proposition does not impose any rent control provision but merely frees local jurisdictions to enact renter protections that work in their communities. While rent control alone is not the ultimate panacea for our region’s housing crisis, it is an important tool that has improved the material conditions of the most vulnerable communities by protecting them from displacement. Supported by East Bay Housing Organizations and the California Green New Deal Coalition
No on Prop 34: Restrict how the AIDS Healthcare Foundation can spend funds
- This proposition targets a single entity: the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). The organization has taken strong positions on tenant protections, earning the ire of the real estate industry. The requirements in this measure that nonprofit healthcare providers spend more on patient care might seem reasonable, but the qualifications written into the measure would apply to only one organization: AHF. It’s an attempt to stop AHF’s housing advocacy, and whether or not you agree with the organization’s positions, it’s a misuse of the proposition system that should not be rewarded with support. Opposed by East Bay Housing Organizations and the California Green New Deal Coalition. Vote No on Prop 34.

SAN FRANCISCO

Yes on Prop B: Funding for safer streets and shelter
- This bond measure would provide funding for public amenities, including community health centers, street and sidewalk safety, and more shelter or interim housing space. Supported by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition because of the funding for infrastructure improvements. Vote yes on Prop B.
Yes on Prop G: City funding to keep rental units affordable
- This would amend San Francisco’s charter and require the city to make annual contributions to an Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund for Seniors, Families, and Persons with Disabilities. The city already provides supplemental payments to landlords to create affordable housing units. We urgently need more, and this dedicated funding will help ensure San Francisco maintains affordable rentals. Vote yes on Prop G.
Yes on Prop K: Convert Upper Great Highway from a road into a park for people
- Prop K will create a permanent car-free space on the Upper Great Highway by Ocean Beach, allowing a safer and more joyful experience for people enjoying San Francisco’s shoreline. Advocates have fought hard for this critical amenity since a COVID-era closure was rescinded. Supported by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Vote yes on Prop K.
Yes on Prop L: Tax ride-hail and autonomous vehicle businesses to fund crucial transit operations
- SFMTA is facing an existential crisis due to a lack of funding. Prop L would contribute an estimated $25 million to critical transit operations, preserving Muni services and allowing people with disabilities, low-income families, and older adults to continue to travel around the region. Supported by Urban Habitat and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Vote yes on L.

EAST BAY:

Yes on Albany Measure C: Approve tax funding for sidewalks and pathways
- More funding is urgently needed that is specifically dedicated to safer street infrastructure. Supported by Bike East Bay. Vote yes on Measure C.
Yes on Berkeley Measure BB: Fund housing retention programs and expand tenant protections
- This measure, supported by Berkeley renters and the city’s Rent Control Board, strengthens renter protections and lowers the cap on rent increases. Urban Habitat joins us in supporting a yes vote on Measure BB.
No on Berkeley Measure CC: Limit and change tenant protections
- The mirror image of Measure BB, CC raises the cap on rent increases slightly and limits the power of Berkeley’s Rent Control Board. Urban Habitat urges a no vote on Measure CC and so do we.

*If both Berkeley Measures BB and CC pass, the measure with the most votes will win.

No on Berkeley Measure EE: Competing with Measure FF with less funding, no guarantees for safer street infrastructure
- Measure EE is in direct contention with Measure FF. Transform encourages you to vote no on Measure EE as it does not include a guaranteed dedicated revenue for safer street infrastructure and would also bring in less funding than Measure FF. We need to push for maximum funding for safe streets, not settle for potential scraps that are subject to political will. Bike East Bay opposes this measure. Vote no on Measure EE.
Yes on Berkeley Measure FF: Parcel tax to fund safer streets for all
- Measure FF is a proposed Berkeley parcel tax of 17¢ per lot square foot residential and 25¢ commercial that will fund paving activities across the city and require bike/walk plan implementation to ensure that smoother streets don’t just lead to more speeding. Bike East Bay supports this measure. Vote yes on Measure FF.

*If both Berkeley Measures EE and FF pass, the measure with the most votes will win.

Yes on Berkeley Measure W: Parcel taxes to support homeless services
- In 2018, Berkeley voters adopted Measure P, which raised the transfer tax on properties sold for over $1.5 million, with the revenue going to support homeless services. Measure W changes the formula. The tax increase, from 1.5% to 2.5% starts at $1.6 million and the rate increases progressively for higher-dollar real estate transactions. Supported by East Bay Housing Organizations. Vote yes on Measure W.

SOUTH BAY:

Yes on East Palo Alto Measure JJ:
- This measure would divert revenue collected from an existing 2.5% tax on gross receipts from a general fund to instead go towards rental assistance for tenants and other types of housing assistance such as affordable home ownership, affordable housing preservation, protecting residents from displacement or homelessness, and administrative expenses. The San Mateo Anti-Displacement Coalition and Urban Habitat support this measure. Vote Yes on Measure JJ.
Yes on San Mateo City Measure T: Allow San Mateo to build more housing by Caltrain and along key corridors like El Camino Real
- A great opportunity to rebuke outdated zoning and build more housing near transit, a key strategy to curbing intersectional climate and housing crises.

NORTH BAY:

No on Fairfax Measure I:
- This measure would repeal Fairfax’s current Just Cause Eviction Ordinance and Rent Stabilization Ordinance passed in 2022 and replace it with the state standards put forth in the Contra-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Opposition includes Canal Alliance, Public Advocates, Urban Habitat, and Tenants Together. Vote no on Measure I.
Yes on Fairfax Measure J:
- This measure would allow for investment in safer street infrastructure, with dedicated investment in protected bike lanes and safer crosswalks by schools. This funding would also unlock millions in additional federal grant support needed to continue to design and build safer streets for all roadway users. Supported by Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure J.
Yes on Larkspur Measure K: Establish rent control in Larkspur
- Grassroots organizing brought this measure to the ballot. It will cap rent increases at 3%, or 60% of inflation — whichever is lower — and establishes other tenant rights. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure K.
Yes on Petaluma Measure Y: Extend Petaluma’s urban growth boundary
- This measure preserves farmland and encourages the kind of dense, infill development the North Bay needs to combat climate change. Sprawl is a major driver of climate-killing emissions; vote yes on Measure Y.
Yes on San Anselmo Measure N: Establish rent control in San Anselmo
- This measure caps rent increases for buildings with three units or more at 60% of inflation or 5%, whichever is less. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates. Vote yes on Measure N.
Yes on San Anselmo Measure O: Affirm tenant protection in San Anselmo
- This ballot measure confirms tenant protections already in place, such as compensation for evictions without just cause and rent control. Vote yes on Measure N to protect sensible tenant protections. Supported by Urban Habitat and Public Advocates.

Please share this guide with your network, and don’t forget to vote by Tuesday, November 5th!

Transform Transportation Advocate Speaks on Transit Month Panel

October 14, 2024/in Blog, Policy, Transit/by Laura McCamy

On September 24, 2024, Transform Transportation Policy Advocate Abibat Rahman-Davies was part of a panel on gendered perspectives on transportation advocacy and activism. The panel was part of a series hosted by the Transbay Coalition in honor of Transit Month and was moderated by Thea Selby, Co-founder of the San Francisco Transit Riders and Voices for Public Transportation. The other panelists were Lian Chang, a proponent of Prop L: Fund the Bus who has previously supported transit lanes through Faster Safer Geary, and Haleema Bharoocha (MPP), who helped lead Phase One of BART’s “Not One More Girl” campaign and spearheaded Transform’s Ride Fearlessly report on reimagining transit safety.

The panelists come to transit advocacy from different perspectives. Chang is a non-driver and a grassroots activist for transit, biking, and walking, while Rahman-Davies worked for a policy nonprofit and on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., before joining Transform. Bharoocha has worked extensively with youth through the Alliance for Girls and has often seen transit through a gendered lens.

Experience, advice, and hope

Bharoocha encouraged advocates not to focus too much on technical details and forget human issues such as navigating transit with a disability or a stroller. It’s okay to be a troublemaker and push on what’s important to you, even if it’s not well-received. Rahman-Davies concurred, noting that just because you’re the lone voice on something, it doesn’t mean you’re wrong.

Chang noted that, in the San Francisco advocacy community, which tends to skew White and cis male, it’s easy to feel like there’s only one way to do public comment, and that can be a barrier to participation. She learned to participate in ways that feel comfortable to her. That included making a casket for a model of a BART car and having a transit funeral, using her artistic skills to make an impact.

Chang offered a mom hack: recording a public comment from her son and playing it when it was her turn to speak. That gave her slightly shy child a chance to speak without hanging around for hours waiting to comment.

Rahman-Davies emphasized the importance of centering the people your advocacy is meant to lift up. “Never lose the north star of who you’re trying to help,” she said, and don’t cut deals just to get a result. Change takes time, and the results we want don’t always happen right away.

Bharoocha noted that there is space for everyone in transit advocacy. “We need you in this movement,” she said, referring to Deepa Iyer’s social change ecosystem map.

The panelists touched on a range of other topics, sharing experience and advice. Watch the full webinar.

The Train Has Gone Off the Tracks: People Are Speaking Up but MTC Is not Listening

October 2, 2024/in Blog, Transit/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

After SB 1031, a bill to fund Bay Area transit, was withdrawn, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) set up a special select committee to craft a regional transit measure that could gain wide support. The commission meets monthly through October to set up a framework for a new funding bill to be sent to the legislature at the start of the 2025 session.

On September 23, 2024, MTC held a meeting of the Transportation Revenue Measure Select Committee that should have produced a near-final version of the measure for ratification in October. Unfortunately, the meeting ended without consensus. While all members agreed that transit desperately needs to be funded, how exactly it should be funded has been up for debate. We understand the challenge of bringing together many diverse stakeholders with sometimes opposing interests, but it’s a challenge MTC must meet.

Contentious MTC meeting

At the September select committee meeting, members were asked to vote on two different scenarios that have been continually refined at each of the previous meetings. The Core scenario — which includes Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties — has an opt-in for the other counties and is funded through a sales tax. The Hybrid Scenario (formerly the Go Big Scenario) includes all nine counties and aims to sustain current service levels and close operator-reported deficits with funding from a ½ cent sales tax combined with a payroll tax.

Disagreements came to a head as select committee members were asked to express their support for the scenarios through a gradient of agreement: 1 — strongly agree, 2 — have some reservations but agree, 3 — neutral but strong reservations, 4 — will go along but have strong reservations, or 5 — strongly disagree. The tallied vote showed virtually a tie between the two scenarios, with both scenarios around 3.8. This score reflects weak support, and many commissioners advocated for a third option that was not brought up for a vote: the Hunger Games scenario. That option would largely remove MTC from the picture, leaving individual counties and transit agencies to run their own, sometimes competing, funding measures. This level of disagreement further illustrates the deadlock on the committee on how to save our failing transit systems.

Turning a deaf ear to the public — and MTC’s charter

Which scenario the MTC special select committee will ultimately choose to save our transit systems is unclear, but what is clear is that many commissioners are out of step with what the community is demanding. The committee voted on the scenarios before public comments were even made, so their votes weren’t influenced by public input. In fact, during public comments, many commissioners left the room.

In explaining his vote, one commissioner, who voted “strongly disagree” for both scenarios, stated that while he wants to find a solution, he is not optimistic, and he doesn’t believe MTC is even the right place to create a solution to fund our transit system. However, according to California law, the role of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is “to provide comprehensive regional transportation planning for the region comprised of the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.”(emphasis added). It’s precisely MTC’s primary role to solve this issue, so if MTC is not the right arena for this, then who is?

Regressive funding sources

Advocacy groups and many members of the public have called for a solution that doesn’t add to the financial burden that disenfranchised groups face. Yet many MTC commissioners have continued to push for scenarios funded either completely or mostly by regressive taxes such as a sales tax.

Progressive revenue sources like parcel and payroll taxes have strong community support. The committee removed the parcel tax because of concerns about overusing it, since it is a potential funding source for the housing bond.

The business community spoke up fervently against a negligible 0.18% payroll tax, claiming that it sent a bad message to Bay Area businesses. The commission seemed very concerned about the business community’s opposition to a payroll tax, and many commissioners spoke up in agreement with the business community’s disapproval of the payroll tax. However, many members of the public mentioned during public comment that they liked a payroll tax because they felt that businesses should pay their fair share toward the transit services they rely on.

Bay Area transit is regional — we need a regional solution

Keeping our transit systems fully funded and operating reliably is a regional problem that needs a regional solution. Unfortunately, during the select committee process and especially in the September meeting, many commissioners have been focused on their county’s benefit and fairness for their county, failing to see the big picture.

Many commissioners also continued to push for the Hunger Games scenario. However, people don’t use transit systems by county; they ride regionally. Someone might get on a bus in one county, connect to BART in another county, and then take MUNI or Caltrain at the other end. A failure of any of our transit systems would be catastrophic for the whole region, not just one county, so we need to solve this problem together.

In addition, multiple measures introduce multiple points of failure. We already fund big capital projects regionally, so we should be able to fund transit operations regionally.

Speak up for public transit

MTC’s October special select committee meeting will decide on the final solution to submit to the legislature. We need you to call in and tell MTC commissioners that they need to get the train back on the tracks. Ask them to listen to the voices of the people who will vote for the measure and of transit riders.

No one wants Bay Area transit systems to fail or be forced into drastic service cuts. The MTC must put forth a regional scenario that covers the deficit, is long-term, and is funded by mostly progressive revenue sources. Transform and our allies at Voices for Public Transit are working hard to support this scenario. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has come to meetings and spoken out. While the Hybrid (formerly Go Big) scenario is not the perfect option, it is a regional solution that would save transit operations, and you are the reason it is still being considered. Please come out one more time on October 21. Help us win approval for a regional solution.

September Is a Time to Celebrate Public Transit

September 4, 2024/in Blog, Transit/by Abibat Rahman-Davies

September is Transit Month, and it will be marked this year by events around the Bay Area. Transform’s Transportation Policy Advocate, Abibat Rahman-Davies will participate in a panel on transit advocacy as part of a series on gender and transit sponsored by the Transbay Coalition. Transit Month events include contests, transit to trail hike and bike rides, a pub crawl on Muni, a BART state concert, and much more.

But first, it’s worth looking at how public transit benefits everyone, even those who don’t use it.

Public transit is the backbone of the Bay Area

In our dense, congested Bay Area, public transit provides an inexpensive and efficient way to get around without worrying about traffic or parking. And those who do travel by car can thank transit riders for reducing congestion and easing the pressure on local streets and highways.

In 2024, 163,000 people ride BART on an average weekday. While BART’s ridership has taken a dip from pre-pandemic levels, it is on the rebound as ridership numbers continue to increase each year. That ridership represents less smog, fewer vehicle miles traveled, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and less need for parking at office buildings, destinations, and venues around the region.

About half a million people ride San Francisco’s Muni; about 135,000 ride AC Transit; and 23,000 ride Caltrain on an average weekday. VTA doesn’t have daily statistics, but it carried 21.4 million riders in 2023.

Ways to celebrate Transit Month

In addition to the many transit-centered fun activities planned for Transit Month, you can celebrate our rich transit ecosystem any day of the week. If you’re on the bus, thank your driver! Additionally, if you don’t normally take transit, try substituting the bus or train for your next outing.

See you on the bus!